in poperie and therefore was hee enforced to vse this sillie sillie euasion viz. that the church doth tollerate them because it cannot altogether abolish the same Fourthly that God doth suffer myracles or strange euents to bee done by the power of the diuel that so the wicked for their iust deserts in regard of their former sinnes may be more confirmed in their superstitious dotage and receiue due punishment for their vaine credulitie Fiftly that not to take a â—ourney or not to doe such a thing on such a day which many Papistes obserue most superstitiously for feare of some misfortune or ill successe is heere condemned for superstition by this famous Papist Sixtly that popish priestes which daily and vsually take vppon them by their exorcismes to cast out diuells are by this learned Papist accused and condemned both of infidelitie and of temeritie And his reason is this because that the diuell cannot bee compelled to doe anie thing vnlesse it bee by the speciall and myraculous worke of God Seuenthly that the diuel therefore faineth himselfe to be compelled by such wicked rites superstious dealing thâ— his worshippers may thereby be the more deeply confirmed in their superstitious dotage and vaine credulitie To which I must needs adde as a delicate pâ—st-past for all the Iesuits and Iesuited papists that the supposed myracles done by papists are often counterfeit and plaine Legerdemaine This I wil not barely say but after my wonted maner proue it euen by the testimonie of their owne popish writers Marke well gentle Reader what I shall truely deliuer thee in this behalâ— The papists in their booke intitulted the Iesuits Catechisme haue these expresse words The kingdome of Portugall being fallen to Sebastian the holy Apostles the Iesuits conceiued a hope that by this meanes it might descend vnto their Familie and dealt with him many wayes that no man might from thence forward be capable of the crowne of Portugall except the were a Iesuit and chosen by their societie as at Rome the pope is chosen by the colledge of Cardinals And for as much as he although as superstitious as superstition it selfe could not or rather durst not condescend therevnto they perswaded him that God had appointed it should bee so as himselfe should vnderstand by a voyce from heauen neere the sea-side Insomuch as this poore prince thus carryed away resorted to the place two or three seuerall times but they could not play their parts so wel as to make him heare this voyce Thus write the learned papists of France in their booke called the Iesuits Catechisme Which booke vpon the good liking thereof the English Secular priestes haue translated into our vulgar language to which storie I adde this for explication sake that this yong king 〈…〉 vp vnder the Iesuits therefore they thought to haâ—e drawne him to their lure and bate And when they could not preuaile that way they disswaded him from marriage and to goe personally to the warres in such sort as they designed him By which vnchristian meanes he was cut off and the kingdom devolued to the King of Spaine For their onely intent was this to maintaine poperie and to suppresse the Gospel I haue proued this else-where where I haue made euident demonstration that poperie is inseperably lincked with treason and cannot consist without the support of the Spanish king There may the Reader finde at large many other like miracles wrought by the Iesuits as also their seditions and traterous dealing euery where It were expedient for all simply seduced papists and for all such as are by any meanes carryed and led into errour by the Iesuits of which faction there is too great plentie in this Realme to prouide my Anotomie and to read it againe and againe for in so doing I am perswaded and fully resolued that all carefull of their saluation would vtterly abhorre and detest all popish faction The Iesuitical religion which is the Popes owne doctrine is nothing els but an hoge-poge of Omnigitherumâ— as the secular popish priests haue constantly avouched in their printed books divulged to the whole world Alas alas how hath the late Romish Church bewitched vs. CHAP. XIX Of Popish adoration and invocation of Saints COncerning this controuersie I haue written else-where at large I deeme it here to be enough to vnfold that great superstition and grosse idolatrie which the papists commit in this behalfe The popish invocation of Saintes this day vsed in the Romish Church is the selfe same which the Gentiles vsed in olde time when they did invocate false gods I proue it because they haue pecular saints for their seuerall necessities viz. Saint Loy for their horses S. Anthonie for their Pigges S. Roch for the pestilence S. Steuen for the night S. Iohn for the day S. Nicholas for their studies Saint George for their warres S. Cosma and S. Damian for their sores S. Appolonia for their teeth S. Agnes for their Virginitie and others innumerable for the like ende and effect they errect Churchâ— to their saints they frame images to them they carry their images about in Procession they consecrate alters to them they dedicate Holy-dayes to theÌ„ they make vowes for the honour of them they offer presents to their altars and images they put Lampes tapers torches and lights before their images they kneele downe before their images they touch them they embrace them they speake to theÌ„ they intreat them as if they were yet liuings yea they seem to surpas the folly impietie of the Gentiles For they ascribe their saluation to their saints euen to such saints as of whose saint-hood wee may well stand in doubt They invocate Campion Sherwin Ballard Hart Nelson and the rest of that seditious faction Alphonsus the Iesuitâ— and late Rector of the English Colledge at Rome caused the Organs to be sounded and all the Students to come to the Chappell where himselfe hauing on his backe a white Surplesse and the stole about his necke sang a Collect of Martyrs so after his maner canonizing Campion the Traytor for a Saint Such is the seditious impudencie of newly hatched Râ—mish Iesuits of which cursed broode I haue written at large in my Anatomie And least any Iesuit or Iesuited Papist shall bee able to denie that they ascribe their saluation to saints for they vse to say they make them but Mediators of intercession and not of saluation or redemption I will proue it flatly out of their owne Bookes yea euen out of their Church-seruice which I wish the Reader to marke attentiuely In the Prayer of the Church of Rome vpon Thomas Bâ—â—kets day some-time the Arch-byshoppe of Canterbury I finde these expresse words Deus pro cuius ecclesia gloriosus pontifex Thomas gladijs impieruÌ„ occubuit prasta quasumus vt omnes qui â—ius implâ—rant â—â—xiliâ—â— petitionis suâ—â—alutarem consequantur effectum Englished thus O God for whose Church the glorious Byshop Thomas was put to death by the
many Lordly titles and more then royall power ascribed to the Pope addeth these expresse words Sed glossatores iuris hoc dominium dederunt Papae cum ipsi essent pauperes rebus doctrina Englished thus But the Glossers and Interpreters of the Popes lawe gaue this dominion and these royall titles vnto the Pope themselues being blind Bayards and beggerly fellowes Thus writeth the Popes learned Doctour and religious Fryer by whose verdict it is most apparant to the world that pouertie and ignorance two gallant Romish courtiers were the beginning of al royall Pope-dom And no maruaile for by reason of their pouertie they flattered and sought to please the Pope and by reason of their ignorance they desperately published many things which they did not vnderstand The vsual practise of Papists in their Commentaries Bookes and Glosses hath bin such so intollerable in wresting the holy Scriptures as their owne deare brethren and great Doctors can not for shame denie or conceale the same Polidorus Virgilius a famous papist hath these words Non secus isti iurisconsulti aliquoties detorquent sacras literas quò volunt ac sutores sordidas solent dentibus extendere pelles Englished thus These popish Legists and Canonists doe now and then so wrest and writhe the holy Scriptures to that sense which themselues like best euen as Coblers do gnaw with their teeth and stretch out their filthy skinnes 1 Out of these words I obserue first that this Polidore was a great Papist himselfe and consequently that his testimonie must needes be of great force against the Papists Secondly that he speaketh not of the meanest and worst sort of Papists but euē of their best renowmed Doctors viz. of Hostiensis their grand and famous Doctor Thirdly that their mangling and wresting of the holy Scriptures is most intollerable that without the same they cannot possibly maintaine their wicked doctrine This is that which Doctor Fisher the late Byshoppe of Rochester hath freely confessed in his answere to the Articles of M. Luther which hee could not in truth withstand or gainesay These are his expresse wordes Contendentibus itaque nobiscum haereticis nos alio subsidio nostram oportet tueri causam quam scriptura sacrae Englished thus Therefore when Heretiques contend with vs we must defend our cause by other meanes then by the holy Scripture These are the very expresse wordes I neither adde any thing nor take any thing away of their owne famous popish byshop of their owne holy Saint of their glorious martyr a learned man in deed who laboured with might and maine for the popes vsurped soueraigntie and defended the same in the best manner he was able and to the vttermost of his skill And yet for all that hee hath boulted out vnawares against his will such is the force of trueth which must needs in time preuaile so much in plaine tearmes as is sufficient to ouerthrow all poperie for euer and to cause all people that haue any care of their saluation to renounce the pope his abominable doctrine to their liues end For our popish Byshoppe being put to his best trumpe telleth vs plainely and without all dissimulation his mouth being now opened by him who caused Balaams Asse to speake that they must not because forsooth they cannot defend and mantaine their poperie by the authoritie of the Scripture but by some other way and meanes Viz. by mans forged inuentions and popish vnwritten vanities which they terme the Churches Traditions Now gentle Reader how can any papist who is not giuen vp in Reprobum sensum for his iust deserts read such testimonies against poperie freely confessed and plainely published to the world and that by the pennes of most learned and renowned papists euen while they bestirre themselues busily to defend their pope and his popish doctrine for all that continue papists stil and be carryed away headlong into perdition beleeuing obeying that doctrine which as themselues confesse cannot be defended by the holy Scripture Me-thinkes they should bee ashamed to hold and beleeue that doctrine in defence whereof they can yeeld no better reason Alas alas how hath the late Romish Church seduced vs CHAP. III. Of kissing the Popes feet TOuching the kissing of the Popes feet the truth is this that some Christian kings and Emperours vppon a blinde zeale not grounded in knowledge did humble themselues to the Byshops of Rome and did yeeld vp their soueraigne rights vnto them and thereby opened the windowe to all Antichristian tyrannie For in short time after the Romish Byshoppes became so Lordly and insolent that they tooke roundly vpon them to despose the Emperours to translate their Empires to dispose at their owne pleasures of their royal scepters regalties Yea to be reuerenced honored and adored as Gods for that end must al faithfull Christians kisse the Popes feete Here for the better credite of mine assertion I will put downe the flat testimonie of their Saint Antoninus their religious Fryer who was sometime the Arch-byshop of Florence These are his expresse words Nulli ergo angelo commissa iurisdictio cura totius orbis sed papae totius mundi iurisdictio cura commissa est cum solum vt nomine mundi importatur terza sed etiam vt nomine mundi importatur caelum que super calum terram iurisdictione accepit Sequitur vnde papae recipit a fidelibus adorationes prostrationes oscula pedum quod non permisit angelus a Iohanne Euangelista sibi fieri Englished thus Therefore the iurisdiction and charge of the whole world is committed to none of the Angels but the iurisdiction and care of the whole world is committed to the Pope not onely as the name of the world doth import the earth but euen as it doth also signifie Heauen because hee hath receiued iurisdiction both ouer Heauen and Earth Wherefore the Pope receiueth of the faithfull adorations prostrations and the kissing of his feete which thing the Angel would not suffer Iohn the Euangelist to doe vnto him Thus writeth this popish Doctor For the better vnderstanding of whose discourse I note First that this Antoninus was not a bare papist but a man of great authoritie and high esteeme among the papists Viz. a canonized Saint a religious Fryer a Dominican and a most reuerend Arch-bishop and consequently that whatsoeuer he hath deliuered either touching the pope or poperie must needes bee of good credite and great force against the papists Secondly that the popes power and authoritie doth farre exceed the power of Angels Thirdly that the pope hath iurisdiction not onely ouer the earth but also ouer heauen it selfe Fourthly that by the reason of this exceeding and surpassing power the pope doth admit and receiue that homage which the Angel refused and prohibited S. Iohn to doe vnto him Alas alas how hath the late Romish Church deceiued vs CHAP. IIII. Of power ascribed to the pope The
first Paragraph of his power in generall CHristus per passionem suam meruit iudiciariam potestatem super omnē creaturam Vnde ipse resurgens ait data est mihi omnis potestas in Caelo in terra Cū autem vicarius Christi sit papa nullus potest seipsum subtrahere ab obedientia eius de iure sicut nullus de iure potest se subtrahere ab obedientia Dei sicut recepit Christus a patre ducatum sceptrū ecclesiae gentiū ex Israel egrediens super omnē principatū potestatē super omne quodcumque est vt ei genua cuncta curuentur sic ipse Petro successoribus eius plenissimam potestatem commisit Englished thus Christ merited by his passion iudiciare power ouer all creatures wherefore when hee arose from death hee sayd all power is giuen me in heauen and on earth Now seeing the Pope is Christs Vicar none can lawfully withdrawe their obedience from him no more then they may withdraw their obedience from God himselfe For as Christ receiued the Dukedome and Scepter of the Church ouer all principate and power and ouer all whatsoeuer else hath being that al knees do bowe vnto him euen so did he commit most full and large power vnto Peter and his Successors the Byshops popes of Rome Thus writeth Antoninus that holy Archbyshop and religious Fryer Augustinus de Ancona an other religious Fryer in that booke which he dedicated to pope Iohn the twelft of that name singeth the same song with Antoninus his popish brother These are his words papa tanquam vicarius dei filij coelestis imperatoris iurisdictionē habet vniuersalem super omnia Regna Imperia Englished thus The Pope as he is the Vicar of the sonne of God the heauenly Emperour hath vniuersall iurisdiction ouer all Kingdomes and Empires Gerson a famous papist who was sometime chancelour of Paris maketh rehearsall of intollerable titles power more then royall ascribed to the pope and derideth the same Sicut non est potestas nisi a Deo sic nec aliqua temporalis vel ecclesiastica imperialis vel regalls nisi a papa in cuius foemore scripsit Christus Rex regū dominus dominantium de cuius potestate disputare instar sacrilegij est cui neque quisquam dicere potest cur ita facit Englished thus Like as there is no power but of God so is there neither any Temporall nor Ecclesiastical neither imperiall nor regal but of the Pope in whose thigh Christ hath writen the King of kings Lord of Lords of whose power to dispute is as meere Sacriledge to whom none may say why doest thou so The pope himselfe from his owne pen Gregorie the ninth deliuereth vs this doctrine Ad firmamentum caeli hoc est vniuersalis ecclesiae fecit Deus duo magna luminaria id est duas instituit dignitates quae sunt pontificalis authoritas regalis potestas Sequitur vt quanta est inter solem lunam tanta inter pontifices reges differentia cognoscatur Englished thus To the Firmaments of of heauen that is of the vniuersal Church God made two lights pontificall authoritie and power royall that wee may know there is as much difference betweene Popes and Kings as there is betweene the Sunne and the Moone The Glosse setteth downe precisely how farre a King is inferiour to a pope that is to euery Byshop of Rome in these words Restat vt pontificalis dignitas quadragesies septies sit maior regali dignitate Englished thus It remaineth that the dignitie of the pope bee fortie times seuen times greater then is the power of the King Where the Reader must seriously obserue with me that this Gregorie being himselfe one of the Byshops of Rome who now adayes are called popes Cat'exochen liued 1227. years after Christ A.D. 1227 and had either forgotten or neuer once learned that the good Byshoppe Gregorie the first acknowledged himselfe to be the Emperours subiect and yeelded all loyall obedience vnto him The popish Canons do so plainly ascribe diuine titles to the pope that none without blusing can possibly deny the same For in the popes owne decretals I find these expresse words Sic papa dicitur habere coeleste arbitrium ideo etiam naturam rerum immutat substantiam vnius rei applicādo alij de nihilo potest aliquid facere Englished thus So the pope is said to haue coelestial arbitrement and therefore doth he alter the nature of things by applying the substantiall parts of one thing to another and hee can make of nothing something Thus doe the papists write of their pope he is well pleased therewith For without his good pleasure and liking such doctrine glosses could not be currant in the Church of Rome Yea the Expositors do gather their sense euen out of the bowels of the text and this collections are as authenticall as is the text it selfe Pope Nicholas as Gratianus telleth vs was of the same minde and in effect taught the same Doctrine These are his expresse words Christus beato Petro aeternae vitae clauigero terreni simul coelestis imperij iura commisit Englished thus Christ committed to S. Peter who beareth the keyes of eternall life the right both of earthly and heauenly empire Where the glosse ascribeth the same power to the pope in these words Argumentum quod papa habet vtrunque gladium spirtiualem temporalem Englished thus This is an argument that the pope hath both the swords aswel the spiritual as the temporal And in the marginal note the Reader may finde these expresse wordes Papa habens vtrumque gladiū transtulit imperia Englished thus The pope hauing both swords translated the Empire A.D. 1294 To conclude pope Boniface the eight made a flat Constitution and Decree in which he affirmed arrogantly that himselfe was both Spirituall and Temporall Lord of the whole world The second Paragraph of power ascribed to the pope in speciall BArtholomaeus Fumus a famous Summist affirmeth boldly and resolutely the popes power to bee so exding great that he is able with his word to deliuer out of purgatorie all the soules that are boyling there in fire These are his words Papa potest liberare omnes animus purgatorij etiam si plures essent si quis pro eis faceret quod iuberet peccaret tamen indiscretè consedendo Englished thus The pope could set at libertie all the soules in purgatorie though neuer so many if any would doe that for them which hee appointeth to be done marry hee should sinne by his vndiscreet pardoning Siluester prieras a learned famous popish Canonist sometime Magister sacripalatij hath these words Sicut potest papa liberare a poena peccatorum debita in hoc mundo omnes qui sunt in mundo si faciant quod mandat etiāsi essent millies plores quam sunt ita liberare potest
commit all things to their charge and arbitrement But to vse no rougher wordes against these latter Popes they are doubtlesse inferiour to Popes of olde time by many degrees I coulde alledge many other testimonies but this Victoria being of great credit among the Papists is a most sufficient witnesse in their owne proceedings Alas alas how hath the late romish Church abused vs. CHAP. VII Of Popish auricular confession COncerning this subiect I haue written so sufficiently thereof else where as no Papist now for many yeres durst frame any answere thereunto There I haue proued by the verdict of best approued papists that auricular confession was no article of popish faith for the space of 1215. yeares And I haue there in like maner answered to all obiections which possibly can be made in defence therof as no papist will euer aduenture to reply vpon the same during my life I haue reason thus to write because I haue often challenged all English Iesuits Seminaries and Iesuited papists as wel ioyntly as seuerally to answere either all or some one of my books and yet to this day I can receiue Ne gry quidem at their hands I compiled a very little pamphlet in way of merry disport and honest christian recreation terming it the hunting of the Romish foxe concerning which booke though a small valuome in quantitie not one Iesuite Seminarie or Iesuited papist euer durst hitherto or dareth this day publish any answere to the view of the world This being so I deeme it now enough to propose before the eyes of the reader how great learned papists doe esteeme their auricular confession Beatus Rhenanus a man of great credit with the papists hath these memorable words Thomas Aquinas Scotus homines nimium arguti confessionem hodie talem reddiderunt vt Iohannes ille Geilerius granis ac sanctus Theologus qui tot annis Argentorati concionatus est apud amicos suos saepe testatus fit iuxta eroum Deuteroseis impossibile esse confiteri Englished thus Thomas Aquinas and Scotus men to much delighted with subtilties haue brought Confesson this day to such a passe that Ihoannes Geilerius that famous graue and holy Diuine who preached many yeares at Argenteratum saide many a time vnto his friends that it was impossible for a man to make his Confession according to their traditions Out of these words I obserue these golden Lessons First that the vaine curious distinctions of the popish Schoole-doctors haue brought much mischiefe into the Church of God Which thing if a papist had not spoken it would neuer haue beene thought credible to the worlde the truth will preuaile in time Christs holy Gospel must haue the vpper hand Secondly that it is impossible for a papist to make his Confession according to the popish law and consequently marke well my words gentle Reader that all by popish doctrine must perish euerlastingly I proue it ponder well the proofe The papists teach vs to hold for an Article of our beleife that we are bound vpon paine of damnation to make our Confessions as the popes Lawes and Cannons doe prescribe Viz. as Aquinas and Scotus haue set downe the same For sundry popes haue authorized the doctrine of Aquinas and confirmed the same for authentical And for all that Geilerius a papist himselfe a great Diuine and a famous preacher complained often to his deare friends that no man could possibly performe the same Now then since on the one side the popish confession must be made vnder paine of damnation and since on the otherside none possibly can make the same as is required by popish cānons it followeth of necessitie by popish doctrine that all papists must be damned eternally O miserable poperie confounded and condemned by thine owne Doctors deare thy selfe o poperie hath bewrayed thy treacherie to the world It is to vs Gods great mercy for the merits of Christ Iesus but to all papists his iust iudgement for the punishment of their sinnes If you will in time repent and embrace his holy gospel his mercy is open to you all but if you will still continue o papists in your wilfull obstinacie then doubtlesse God will reuenge the blood of his innocents at your handes for with your beggerly vnwritten traditions you deuour the soules of many thousāds Thirdly that many liuing among papists doe externally obay the popish law who for all that doe greatly detest in their hearts a great part of their late hatched Romish religion This is euident by the secret complaint of this learned man Geilerius who told that to his trustie friēds which he durst not disclose to others and Beatus Rhenannus that famous papist was of the same mind or else doubtlesse he would not haue approued the complaint of Geilerius Alas alas how hath the late Romish church bewitched vs. CHAP. VIII Of the marriage of Priests I Haue written so sufficiently of this subiect else where as no papists either haue made can make or euer will make any answere thereunto I will onely for the present set downe the iudgement of three or foure famous Papists referring the reader for the exact decision therof vnto my booke of suruey The famous papist Cardinall Panormitanus giueth so worthy a testimony of this controuersie as if it be well marked it wil cōfound all papists in the world These are his words Continentia non est in clericis secularibus de substantia ordinis nec de iure diuino quia alias graeci peccarent nec excusaret eos consuetudo sequitur non solum credo potestatem inesse ecclesia hoc condendi sed credo pro bono salute esse animarum quod esset salubre statutum vt volentes possint contrahere quia experientia docente contrarius prorsus effectus sequiturexilla lege continentiae cum hodie non viuant spiritualiter nec sunt mundi sed maculantur illicito coitu cum eorum grauissimo peccato vbi cum propria vxore esset castistas Englished thus Continencie in secular priests is not of the substance of their orders nor of the law diuine because otherwise the Greekes should sinne and their custome could not excuse them And I doe not onely belieue that the church can make such a lawe but I also belieue that such a lawe were for the good and for the saluation of mens soules that such as would might marry because experience teacheth that a contrary effect followeth of that law of continencie seeing this day they liue nor spiritually neither are they cleane but polluted in vnlawfull copulation with their most grieuous sinne albeit they might liue chastly with their owne wiues Out of this notable discourse of Panormitanus who was their renouned canonist their venerable Abbot their reuerend Arch-Byshop and their honerable Cardinall for he had all these titles and degrees I obserue these most worthy and memorable documents First that the prohibition of marriage in secular priests is
the six ferie after the feast of Vdabricus Hierome being kept in prison a long time after when hee would not recant was burnt in like maner on the Saboath before the exaltatiō of the holy crosse in the yeare of our Lord 1415. they both suffered death with a constant stout courage they made hast to the fire as though they had been inuited vnto a banquet they vttered not a word which could giue any signe of a sorrowful heart When they began to burne they sang an hymne which the flame noise of the fire was scarse able to stint when their corpes were burnt their ashes were cast into a lake least their countyemen the Bohemians shuld carry them away their Disciples tooke away the earth though the ashes were gone wher the fire was made and carried the same with them into their countrey as an holy relique Iohn Hierome deserued no lesse honour of martyrs with the Bohemians then Peter and Paul with the Romans Thus writeth Nanclerus Out of whose words I obserue sundry very memorable points of Doctrine wishing the reader to ponder them seriously for his godly instruction and Christian edification First that this Nanclerus was a great papist highly renowned in the church of Rome and consequently that hee will testifie no more against the Papists then the truth it selfe doth extort from his penne Secondly that the Papists most cruelly condemned Maister Hus to the fire albeit hee had the Emperours free pasport and safe conduct freely to goe and freely to returne Thirdly that the godly Martyr Hieronimus de Praga came boldly of his owne accord vnto the councell and they stoutly defended the truth maugre the malice of the pope all his popish vassals Fourthly that the burning of Maister Hus could not terrifie Maister Hierome of Praga nor make him deny the truth of Christs Gospell Fiftly that both Maister Husse and Maister Hieronimus de Praga went as merily and as ioyfully to the fire to bee burnt as if they had beene inuited to a royall banquet Sxtly that in the midst of the late fire they ioyfully and Christianly sang an Hymne to the honour and praise of the euerliuing God Seuenthly that the furie and rage of the hote burning fire O most worthy and constant Martyrs of Iesus Christ coulde not stay them from singing and from praysing our mercifull God Eightly that the cruell papists after they had burnt the blessed Martyrs and consumed their bodies and their bones to ashes did cast their ashes into a deepe poole of water Ninthly that these two blessed men Iohn Hus and Hierome of Praga were no lesse honoured for martyrs in Bohemia then Peter and Paul were in Rome Yea their death was so pretious with God and so honorable with the godly in their countrey that mauger the Pope and all his Romish tyrannie the Gospell hath euer since their burning continued there which is for the space almost of two hundred yeares euen within the kingdome and dominion of that Empire a thing impossible to bee done by man if God did not support the same The like crueltie was extended vppon the body and bones of Maister Bucer that holy man profound Doctor and stout champion of Gods eternall truth For after the blessed man had beene dead and a long time couered with earth in his graue his body was taken vppe fast bound with an yron chaine to a stake and burnt with a great fire vpon the market day in open place Insomuch that some of the market-folkes when they perceiued the wonderfull affaires in hand saide merily one to an other what neede is there of yron chaines and Armed men against dead bodies that haue beene a long time in the graue for they can neither resist nor yet flye away but the late popes are so bent to brutish cruelty that the like tyranny hath beene by one Pope to an other For pope Sergius the third caused the corps of pope Formosus who now had beene dead almost ten yeares to bee taken out of his tombe and to bee set in a chaire with the pontificall attyre vppon him O braue gallant and that done hee commaunded his head to bee cut off and to bee cast into the riuer Tyber He disanulled the actes and orders giuen by pope Formosus insomuch as all were enforced to take orders again O holy romish priesthood ô indelible characer who had bin ordered by pope Formosus And all this was done forsooth because Formosus had kept this Sergius from the Pope-dome Thus write Martinus Polonus Baptista Platina two famous popish doctors whereof the one was the popes Poenitentiarius and the other his Abbreuiator Apostolicus Thus much for a taste of popish more then sauage tyrannie who so listeth to know more thereof may peruse my booke of Suruey What a thing is this we beleeue many of vs that the popes are Christs Vicars vpon earth and yet we see they are most cruell tyrants euen the catch-poles and bond-slaues of the maister Diuel of hell What shall I say of reuerend Cranmer graue Latimer learned Ridley zealous Bradford and of 500. more most worthy men who in the yeare 1555. were burnt with fire and faggots for the testimonie of Christs Gospel Alas alas how hath the late Romish Church bewitched vs. CHAP. XII Of the abhomination of popish proceeding THe villanie and abhomination wherewith the popes Religion is vnderpropped and maintained is such and so notorious that the truth it selfe hath inforced the popes owne dearest vassals to declame in printed bookes against the same The famous popish canonist Nauarrus hath these expresse words papa potest despensare cum monacho iam professo vt contrahat Matrimonium imò de facto multi papae dispensarunt consentit ipse Caietanus Antoninus Paludanus Englished thus The pope may dispense with a Monke already professed that hee may marry for many popes haue De facto so dispensed Caietanus Antoninus and Paludanus are of the same opinion Franciscus a Victoria the popish famous Schooleman and religious Fryer lamenteth the popes dealing but dareth not plainly vtter his minde Thus doth he write Multi tenent quod papa non potest dispensare in votis quia dispensatio proprie est relaxatio iuris vnde cum sit de iure diuino dispensatio erit iuris diuini relaxatio quo◠sane ad papam non spectat vtinam haec opinio non sit vera Englished thus Many hold that the Pope cannot properly dispense in vowes because dispensation properly is the relaxation of the Law wherefore seeing a vow is of the law diuine dispensation must also be remission of the law diuine which thing doubtlesse belongeth not to the pope and would to God this opinion were not true Loe this religious Frier is so zealously affected and to carefull of his popes credit that he wisheth the opinion were not true because it controwleth the popes abhominable dealing The popes famous Canonist most reuerēd Archbyshop Covarruvias deliuereth the
case in most plaine termes and blushed no whit thereat These are his expresse wordes Nec me latet D. Thomam praeuia maxima deliberatione asserere Rom. pontificem non posse propria dispensatione continentiae solemne votum monachorum tollere paulo post oportet tamen primam opinionem defendere ne qua passim fiant evertantur omnino Englished thus Neither am I ignorant that Saint Thomas affirmeth after exceeding great deliberation that the Byshop of Rome can not by his owne proper dispensation take away from Monkes their solemne vowe of chastitie This notwithstanding the former opinion must bee defended least those things which are vsually done by the pope in euery place be ouerthrowne and turned vp side downe Thus writeth this famous papist Out of whose wordes I note many very profitable Lessons for the benefite of the thankfull Reader First that the papists can not agree concerning their popes authoritie this is a point of great consequence Secondly that great learned Papists among whom Aquinas is one whose Doctrine sundry Popes haue confirmed doe roundly controwle the Popes vsurped authoritie Thirdly that their opinion must perforce bee defended which agreeth with the Popes vsuall practise and dealing because otherwise all the popes doings would soone bee ouerthrowne and poperie it selfe turned vpside downe This is a memorable obseruation wherein my bare relation would neuer carry credite if the truth thereof proceeded not from the pen of a famous popish writer Fourthly that the Popes Doctrine and popish Religion is most miserable which must bee vnderpropped and maintained by such poore sillie and beggerly shifts Fiftly that the papists haue no cause to exclaime against Priestes Marriage seeing the pope dispenseth at his pleasure with his owne Monkes in that behalfe Sixtly that the Doctrine of Aquinas which sundry popes haue approued confuteth the popes Religion So then the popes doings must needes bee defended because otherwise poperie can not stand Alas alas how hath the late Romish Religion seduced vs CHAP. XIII Of popish false forged purgatorie COncerning this point of doctrine genle Reader whosoeuer shall marke attentiuely what I shall sincerely God willing deliuer euen from the pen of a famous popish writer M. Doctor Fisher late Byshop of Rochester about 22. Miles distant from London can not doubtlesse but haue beare and conceiue in euerlasting hatred alienation of minde and resolute detestation not onely against popish purgatorie but also against all the rest of late hatched popish doctrine These therefore are the expresse words of this famous popish writer Sed graecis ad hunc vsque diem non est creditum purgatorium esse Legat qui velit Graecorum veterum commentarios nullum quantum opinor aut quam rarissimum de purgatori◠sermonem inveniet Sed neque latini simul omnes at sensim huius rei veritatē conceperūt sequitur non absque maxima sancti spiritus dispensatione factum est quod post tot annorum curricula purgatorij fides indulgentiarum vsus ab orthodoxis generatim sit receptus quamdiu nulla fuerat de purgatorio cura nemo quaesiuit indulgentias Nam ex illo pendet omnis indulgentiarum existimatio si tollas purgatorium quorsum indulgentijs opus erit his n si nullum fuerit purgatoriū nihil indigebimus contemplantes igitur aliquandiu purgatorium incognitum fuisse deinde quibusdam pedetentim partim ex reuelationibus partim ex scripturis fuisse creditum atque ita tandem generatim eius fidem ab orthodoxa ecclesia fuisse receptissimam facillimè rationem aliquam indulgentiarum intelligimus quum itaque purgatorium tam serò cognitū ac receptum ecclesiae fuerit vniuersae quis iam de indulgentijs mirari potest quod in principio nascentis ecclesiae nullus fuerat carum vsus caeperunt igitur indulgentiae postquam ad purgatorij cruciatus aliquandiu trepidatum erat Englished thus The Greekes to this day doe not beleeue that there is a purgatorie Read who list the Commentaries of the auncient Gretians and hee shall finde either very seldome mention of purgatorie or none at all For neither did the Latin Church conceiue the truth of this matter at one and the same time but by leisure and by little and little Neither was it done without the great dispensation of the holy Ghost that after so many yeares Catholiques both beleeued there was a purgatorie and also receiued the popes pardons generally so long as there was no care of purgatorie no man sought for pardons For of it dependeth all that estimation and credite which is ascribed vnto pardons If thou take away purgatorie to what end shall pardons be needfull For if there be no purgatorie we shall haue no need of pardons Considering therefore how long purgatorie was vnknowne then that some beleeued it by little and little partly by revelations and partly by the Scriptures and so at the length the whole Church receiued it wee doe easily vnderstand the cause of pardons Since therefore purgatorie was so lately known and receiued of the vniuersall Church who can now admire that there was no vse of pardons in the Primitiue Church pardons therefore then began when the people being bewitched stoode in the feare of purgatorie-paine and torment These are the expresse words of this famous popish Byshoppe when hee writing against M. Luther did with might and maine to the vttermost of his power and hee was able to say write as much as any papist in the world defend the popes authoritie and his late hatched Romish Religion which the vulgar sort of people being pitifully seduced Alas alas that they will not hearken vnto the truth which the maister-papists are enforced to confesse doe zealously embrace humbly obey wonderfully admire and terme it but most falslie and ignorantly the old religion I would gladly doe thee good gentle Reader and take any paine to my selfe to profite thy soule perswade thy selfe that I deale faithfully with thee and that I doe in none of my bookes which I either haue written or shall by Gods permission write in time to come charge the papists with any thing but the meere truth For I doe assure thee that my proceeding in the discouery of popish superstiōs vanities enormities falshoods dissentions schismes crueltie tyrannie errours heresies blasphemies is such so sincere as vppon a saluo conducto as they terme it granted from any king Christian licence procured of my gracious dread souergaine I am will be most willing to repaire into any prouince in Christendom there to giue an account and to make tryall of the same This offer gentle Reader I made aboue ten yeares agoe when I published my booke of Motiues as the Reader may easily find in peruse thereof but to this day no papist euer durst accept the same or answere either that booke of Motiues or any other that I haue written I therefore here make the same offer againe and I adde thereunto
which is a shorter course that if any English Iesuite Seminarie or Iesuited papist will send me in print a direct answere to any one booke which I haue published against them and that vppon licence and securitie graunted he will appeare with an halter about his necke ready to receiue according to his deserts if hee faile in the defence of his answere and cause and for the performance thereof shall put downe his name in the printed Booke I promise herewith vnder my hand that if GOD graunt mee life and health I will fall downe vppon my knees before the most mightie learned wise and religious Monarch Iames the King of great Britaine and my most gracious Soueraigne humbly to intreate a free Charter and safe conduct or princely licence for the safe comming and safe departure of that Iesuite or Iesuited papist and also with another halter about my necke accordingly to meet encounter that mighty Goliah whosoeuer he be nothing doubting but that I shall preuaile in my humble suite to his most excellent Maiestie if any of our English papists shall be of courage to send me his answere in manner already specified If none of them dare this performe in the defence of poperie then doubtlesse may all silly papists be fully resolued that there is no truth on their side One foul-mouthed Swaggering Iesuite in his detection against M. Sutcliffe and M. Willet seemeth desirous of such an offer as I here doe make let him therefore or any other of his brethren prepare himselfe with the aduise and help of all the rest to accept the challenge and to fight the combat valiantly with mee I challenge them all ioyntly and euery one of them seuerally and I take God to witnesse that I am fully perswaded as I write and doe most heartily desire that this offer and challenge may bee accepted at the papists hands and accordingly performed as is already said Now to let passe this digression and to returne to the matter in hand I note out of the free graunt of this famous popish Byshop who was a learned man indeed these excellent and worthy Lessons First that the Greeke Church neuer beleeued popish grossely imagined purgatorie no not to the time of this popish Byshop who liued 1517. yeares after Christs glorious Ascension into Heauen Secondly that the Latin Church and Church of Rome did not beleeue the said purgatorie for many hundred years after S. Peters death whose Successor for all that the pope boasteth himselfe to be Thirdly that this imagined purgatorie was not beleeued of all the Latin Church at one and the same time but that it obtained credit Alas poore purgatorie by little and little Where note by the way gentle Reader that poperie crept into the Church by little and little and not all at one time This is a point of great importance which woundeth the papists euen at the heart Fourthly that purgatorie was not wholy and soundly knowne by the Scriptures but parlty by the Scriptures and partly by Reuelations Where I wish the Reader to marke well two things which I shall vnfold vnto him the one that by this popish doctrine of purgatorie Gods works are made vnperfect contrarie to the Doctrine of holy Moses who telleth vs that Dei perfecta sunt opera Englished thus Gods workes are perfect I proue this because as the Byshop auoucheth the Scriptures made purgatorie knowne to the Church of Rome but vnperfectly For doubtlesse if God made purgatorie knowne by the Scriptures then is purgatorie either made perfectly knowne by them or else Gods workes that is the holy Scriptures are vnperfect But I wil rather beleeue Moses the holy Prophet of God then my L. our Fisher though he be the popes cononized martyr The other that the Church hath no new reuelations touching matters of Faith For the most learned popish Schooleman their religious Fryer reuerend Byshop Melchior Canus hath these expresse wordes nec vllas in fide novas revelationes ecclesia habet Englished thus Neither hath the Church any new reuelations cōcerning matters of Faith Loe poperie is contemned by her owne deare doctors for M. Fisher saith plainly that purgatorie was not knowne at the first but after many 100 years by revelations Yet M. Canus his popish brother fellow byshop a man as learned as hee saith as plainly and more truely that the Church hath no new revelations in faith So then either purgatorie is no matter of Faith or else it came not by late revelations Let the papist answere what he can and wil he must needs here be caught by the heele Fiftly that pardons came not vp till purgatorie was found out the reason whereof is said to be this because the life of popish pardons resteth wholy in the life of popish purgatorie and consequently when the pope could get no saile for his pardons it was high time for his holinesse to inuent his purgatorie And therefore wisely saith his Byshop and our Fisher of Rochester that when the silly ignorant people were put in feare of the paines of popish purgatorie then began the popes pardons to florish and to bee of high esteeme as being thought able to preserue and defende their receiuers from the paine and flame of purgatorie fire Alas alas how hath the late Romish church bewitched vs. CHAP. XIIII Of the Popes double person COncerning the popes double person I haue written at large thereof in a peculiar treatise which is intituled the hunting of the Romish Foxe Now it shall suffice to say a little in that behalfe William Watson that popish traytour hath these words as the prudent Greeke appealed from Alexander furious to Alexander sober and Byshop Crostate from pope Adrian priuate to pope Adrian publique and as summus pontifix in cathedra Petri so may the seculars appeale from the pope as Clemens vnto his holinesse as Peter Thus writeth Watson and all the papists generally who are learned are of this opinion herein I say who are learned because the multitude and vulgar sort of papists being as blinde as beetles in popish affaires know not what the popes double person meaneth They are taught to beleeue as the pope beleeueth iumpe with the collier viz. the Church that is the pope belieueth so therefore doe I belieue so The truth of this question standeth thus that the pope or Byshop of Rome may erre personally speake erroneously preach erroneously write erroneously yet all this must be done as he is a priuate person onely This notwithstanding he can neuer erre say our papists when he defineth a matter of faith or manners iudicially and as hee is pope or a publique person so hold the papists generally of late dayes as the Iesuiticall Cardinall Bellermine the mouth of all papists telleth vs. These are his expresse wordes Multi canones docent pontificem non posse iudicari nisi inveniatur a fide deuius ergo potest deuiare a fide alioqui frustra essent illi canones